Sponsored by BYDA
Australia’s underground infrastructure networks are essential to Australian communities, supporting the delivery of electricity, water, gas, telecommunications and transport services across the country. As these networks continue to grow in complexity and density, the risk of accidental damage during excavation and construction remains a persistent challenge.
To better understand the scale of the issue and identify opportunities for improvement, Before You Dig Australia (BYDA) has commissioned a new research paper, Australia’s Underground Utility Safety Reckoning. The report provides one of the most comprehensive examinations of utility strike risk in Australia and highlights opportunities for industry, regulators and government to strengthen the national utility safety framework.
For infrastructure professionals working in public works, utilities and construction, the findings reinforce the importance of better data, earlier planning and stronger collaboration across the sector.
A growing challenge beneath our cities
Australia’s underground environment is becoming increasingly congested as infrastructure expands to support population growth and urban development. Telecommunications, electricity, water, wastewater and gas networks are often layered alongside legacy assets, creating a complex environment for planners, engineers and contractors.
Utility strikes can have serious consequences. They can result in injuries to workers, service outages for communities, project delays and costly repairs. In some cases, the impacts extend well beyond the construction site, affecting businesses, emergency services and critical infrastructure operations.
BYDA’s research highlights that while awareness of safe excavation practices has improved across the industry, systemic challenges remain. These include fragmented approaches to sharing asset location information, inconsistent data quality, and difficulties visualising underground congestion during the early stages of project planning.
From evidence to action
The report calls for a stronger national approach to underground safety, supported by evidence-based improvements and greater collaboration between industry, government and regulators. This research highlights practical opportunities to reduce risk, including improving access to clearer, more usable utility data earlier in the project lifecycle.
When planners, designers and engineers have better visibility of underground infrastructure during the planning and design stages, they are better able to identify conflicts, redesign projects where necessary and reduce the risk of costly asset strikes during construction.
Leading change through digital innovation
Building on the findings of the research, BYDA is leading the development of an innovative new solution designed to improve how underground asset information is accessed and used across the industry.
The BYDA Digital Utility Portal (BDUP) is a secure, GIS-enabled platform that provides digital, map-based visibility of underground utility assets. Instead of relying solely on PDF plans, the portal enables users to view multiple utility networks together in a digital environment.
By providing clearer and earlier insight into underground infrastructure, the BDUP aims to help project teams identify congestion, assess risk and make better planning decisions before excavation begins.
The platform has already been tested through a national proof of concept involving more than 1,000 industry stakeholders. Feedback demonstrated strong support for the approach, highlighting the potential for digital utility data to reduce risk while improving planning efficiency across infrastructure projects.
Next step: a national pilot
Following the successful proof of concept, BYDA is preparing to launch a multi-state pilot in 2026 to test the BDUP in real-world project environments. Early indications suggest the pilot will include Western Australia, Greater Sydney and potentially Brisbane, bringing together asset owners, government agencies and industry users to explore how the platform can support planning and design across a range of project types.
Alongside the pilot, BYDA is also seeking industry participants to contribute to real-world case studies that will test how BDUP supports live projects across different sectors.
Get involved in shaping the future
BYDA is inviting infrastructure professionals, asset owners and project teams to register their interest in the next phase. Access more information on the BDUP in the BYDA Portal (log in to using your BYDA credentials or create an account)
By participating, organisations will have the opportunity to:
- Be the first to hear about updates and case studies
- Join early testing during the 2026 pilot
- Help shape a national platform designed to make planning and construction faster, safer and more efficient
For organisations involved in public works, utilities and infrastructure delivery, this represents an opportunity to contribute directly to the development of a national solution aimed at reducing utility strikes and improving productivity across the sector.
Through research, industry engagement and initiatives like the BYDA Digital Utility Portal, BYDA is working with the sector to help deliver a safer and more efficient future for underground infrastructure. To find out more or get involved in participating in the pilot, please reach out to Kitty McCarthy at kitty.mccarthy@byda.com.au.
